


so i open the window ( to hear sounds of people )

by wearealltalesintheend



Series: Tumblr Prompts [12]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coming Out, F/F, Good Brother Number Five | The Boy (Umbrella Academy), Sibling Bonding, good brothers listen to you gushing about your girlfriend, i don't know the Universe where Vanya has a girlfriend and the whole Apocalypse mess is averted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-15 05:09:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18492019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wearealltalesintheend/pseuds/wearealltalesintheend
Summary: "It’s not that she expects– actually, she’s not entirely sure what she expects. Sometimes, she expects them all to turn her away, just like when they were kids, just like when her book came out, just like always, and sometimes she expects them to at least acknowledge it as a new development–does she want them not to suspect at all? Does she want them to trade a look that saysno shit, Sherlock?Does she want them to make a fuss?"*or, the one where Vanya decides to come out to her family and Five is accidentally the first on that list.





	so i open the window ( to hear sounds of people )

 

Vanya should, perhaps, have given this more thinking about.

 

It’s not that she expects– actually, she’s not entirely sure what she expects. Sometimes, she expects them all to turn her away, just like when they were kids, just like when her book came out, just like always, and sometimes she expects them to at least acknowledge it as a new development– _does she want them not to suspect at all? Does she want them to trade a look that says_ no shit, Sherlock? _Does she want them to make a fuss?_

 

If she’s being completely honest, Vanya doesn’t think they will have a problem with this. They never had a problem with Klaus, at least not regarding his sexuality. The shitton of issues they have is completely unrelated to the gender of whichever person any of them are dating.

 

But then again, the scared, _terrified,_ corner of her brain, the part that is in charge of filling her stomach with all these fluttering butterflies and shutting down the pathway for oxygen to reach her lungs, whispers that while her siblings always had a sort of _Us against the World_ mindset among them, Vanya has never been included on that. Not like Klaus is. So maybe, they might not be okay with this in the sense that they’re not okay with Vanya.

 

Is this just another stone she’s handing them to throw at her?

 

_Dad is dead,_ she reminds herself. They can all be better now, including her. Without the dark, scowling stormcloud that was their father, without anything to scramble away from, maybe they can be more careful not to hurt each other.

 

The Academy’s front gates still loom threateningly and creak ominously when she pushes them open, slipping in quietly like she never quite managed to shake off, and Vanya hates how her heart spins on her chest, beating wildly against her ribcage. She thinks about swallowing a pill, but decides against it; it’s only fair to feel her emotions raw over her skin, for now, she might need her medicine later.

 

Before she could summon the courage to call out to anyone, Vanya sees Five clambering down the stairs, fixing his sweater and jacket as he goes, and her entire body sags with relief. Because while Five loves to judge them all on everything, he doesn’t judge on the things that matter. _Never_ on the things that matter. And they used to get along fairly well as children, that has to count for something, now that he’s back. Time changes a lot of things, she supposes, but _this_ should not be one of them. She likes to think it’s not one of them. “Five,” she says, wincing at the way it wavers in the air– a half question, half cloud of a word.

 

“Vanya?” He raises his eyebrows, studying her with a slight frown, and she knows he can spot the anxiety lining her fidgeting, the hunch of her shoulders, the bag under her eyes. As he makes the last of the steps, Five quickens his pace, coming to a stop in front of her. “Are you alright? You look distressed.”

 

“I’m fine,” she automatically replies, mentally slapping herself for telling such a blatant lie, but it’s too late now, and she can only amend, run damage control. “I guess I’m a little nervous.”

 

“That would be an understatement, I’d say,” he narrows his eyes, tilting his head. “Are you in trouble?”

 

“No, _no,_ nothing like that,” she hurries out, shaking her head frantically and wishing she hadn’t tied up her hair today. It would be nice to have something to hide behind, flimsy armor as it would be. “I just– I had something to say, I _have_ something to say, but I’m not sure how everyone is going to take.”

 

“Well, whatever it is, considering our family consists of a merry bunch of idiots, I would say they would take it alright, and then proceed to fuck something up afterward.”

 

It’s said with such deadpan conviction, Vanya can’t help snorting. Maybe there’s an edge to her laughter that is not all that funny, and maybe Five picks up on that, but she’s thankful for it anyway. Her nerves are still misfiring, but it helped a bit.

 

“If it would make you feel more at ease,” Five says carefully neutral, and the shrewd look on his eyes tells her he has an inkling on what this is all about. She doesn’t know how she feels about it. “You can run it by me first.”

 

Vanya swallows thickly. Her heart claws at her throat. Blood rushes on her ears. “I’m– I mean,” she trails off. A deep breath. “I have a girlfriend,” she announces, and her voice sounds like steel.

 

There’s not even a fraction of a second of pause as Five nods. “Okay, are you sure you want her to meet the whole family? They’re too loud and embarrassing, I would consider pretending to be an orphan.”

 

“What– You– don’t you have questions?”

 

“I figured you were about to tell me all about her– is this not what you’ll like to do?” He considers this, then corrects himself. “Although, I do have one question. Does she make you happy?”

 

A bright, wide grin breaks out unprompted and Vanya lets it, smiling for what feels like the first time since she decided to do this. “Yes, like never before,” she feels the tension leaving her shoulders, a knot untangling on her stomach. The others will still be here later. “And I would like that very much.”

 

Five smiles back, quick and genuine. “Then let’s go get some coffee, I was just about to head out.”

 

“Five?” Vanya calls, reaching out a hand before stopping herself. A pause. He inclines his head, nodding and brushes past her in search for the car keys. “Thank you.”

 

If he hears her, and she thinks he did if the barely-there falter on his step in any indication, Five says nothing in return. Still, when he starts the car and earnestly listens to her going on tangents about her girlfriend, Vanya hears the _I love you_ silently woven in between.

 

And she knows that he picks up the _I love you too_ in the way she places her trust on him so easily, in the pieces of herself she shares willingly.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> okay so, I have many feelings about Lesbian!Vanya and I personally love this headcanon, but this could be read as any wlw sexuality, I suppose.
> 
> As always, you can always send me prompts or come cry about this show on [my tumblr.](https://rad-hoodd.tumblr.com)
> 
> and hey? Thanks.


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